Los Angeles County
Biographies
RIGHT REV.
MSGR. THOMAS J. O’DWYER
Filling St. Vibiana’s Cathedral to overflowing on Sunday afternoon, March 17, 1935, members of the Holy Name Society and guests from all parts of Diocese rejoiced in the honors which were conferred upon an outstanding priest of the Diocese, Right Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. O’Dwyer, who was invested as a Domestic Prelate by His Excellency Most Rev. Bishop Cantwell. Right Rev.Msgr. John Cawley, P.A., Vicar General, read the Papal briefs in English. Msgr. F. J. Conaty and Msgr. Michael O’Gorman, acted as deacons of honor to His Excellency. Rev. Joseph T. McGucken, D.D., and Rev. Patrick Shear were masters of ceremony. Pontifical Vespers were sung by the Priests Choir, directed by Msgr. E. R. Kirk. More than one hundred Monsignori and priests were in the sanctuary.
Quoting in part the address of Bishop Cantwell, “Monsignor O’Dwyer is honored in recognition of his work in the Catholic Welfare Bureau here, which has many accomplishments to boast in the field of charity; for his services as chairman of the directors of Catholic Charities in the United States and for his efforts as executive secretary Catholic Action Week in Los Angeles.”
Monsignor O’Dwyer is a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, born March 31, 1896. He received his early educational training near the scene of his birth and later pursued his religious studies at St. Bernard’s Seminary, Rochester, New York, and was ordained June 10, 1922. Following a year of post-graduate work at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., he came to St. Vibiana’s Cathedral, and after more than a year of service there and in the Immaculate Conception parish, with which he is still affiliated, was appointed Assistant Director of the Catholic Welfare Bureau in September, 1924, at that time in charge of the present Bishop Lucey, Amarillo, Texas.
Monsignor O’Dwyer was named director of the bureau on January 1, 1926, by His Excellency, Most Rev. John J. Cantwell, D.D.
The Monsignor is a nationally known figure in welfare and charitable work, being a member of the executive committee of the National Conference of Catholic Charities, a member of the Los Angeles County Emergency Relief Committee and a member board of Directors of the California Conference of Social Work.
As has been said by many who are familiar with the outstanding work Monsignor O’Dwyer has done “That the honor bestowed upon him that Sunday afternoon March 17, 1935, was well given and well earned. He has done much to further the civic and material upbuilding of Los Angeles and such has been his life and labors as one of the world’s great army of constructive workers that there is all of consistency in awarding him representation in this publication.”
Transcribed
3-21-13 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: California
of the South Vol. V, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
679-680, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2013 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPHIES